G A L A P A G O S I S L A N D S

Transcription

1 G A L A P A G O S I S L A N D S

2 Baltra - Santa Cruz: Tortuga Bay - Charles Darwin Guests arrive and are transferred to Santa Cruz Island. Santa Cruz, or also called the Indefatigable island, has an area of 986 square kilometers (381 sq mi) and a maximum altitude of 8 64 meters (2834 ft). Puerto Ayora is the main port of Santa Cruz, here you will have the chance to visit the small town and gather with the beautiful Galapaguenos population which is the largest in Galapagos. After the Puerto Ayora visit you will be transferred to Tortuga Bay, which is a white sand beach located in Puerto Ayora. Around 13:00 visitors will have lunch at Angermayer Waterfront, one of the finest restaurants in town. After lunch you will be transferred to Charles Darwin Station, approximately 45 min by car from Baltra to Puerto Ayora. Diving option: Seymour, Mosquera DAY 1 ITINERARY B

3 Chinese Hat A small islet located near the south-east coast of Santiago, the island is shaped like a hat. This visit provides an excellent opportunity for the interpretation of geological features such as lava tubes and lava flows. *Approximately 1 hour 30 min from Baltra to Chinese Hat. Rabida Island Rábida (Jervis) Island bears the name of the convent of Rábida, where Columbus left his son during his voyage to the Americas. It has an area of 4.9 square kilometers (1.9 sq mi) and a maximum altitude of 367 meters (1,204 ft). Rábida has a distinctive red color due to the high concentration of iron that was contained in the lava at the moment of its formation. *Approximately 1 hour from Chinese Hat to Rabida.

4 Santiago Island: Espumilla Beach Located at the north end of Puerto Egas, the large coffee-colored sand beach is just north of the prized fresh water supply that once attracted pirates and whalers to this site. The trail heads into a sparsely forested area then takes the visitor back to the beach. Along the way those with a watchful eye may spot a variety of Galapagos finches or a vermilion fly catcher. Beyond the mangroves is a brackish lagoon where pink flamingos and white cheeked pintails can be seen. Once back at the beach visitors may have the chance to swim or snorkel time permitting. *Approximately 2 hours from Rabida to Espumilla Beach. Egas Point Here is a black sand beach located on the west side of James Bay and northwest of Santiago Island where you will find a colony of fur seals and marine iguanas. Snorkeling from the beach is a common activity at this site. * Approximately 30 min from Espumilla Beach to Egas Pt. DAY 3

5 DAY 4 Fernandina Island: Espinoza Point This is a narrow ledge of lava and sand that extends from the base of the volcano to the sea located at the northeastern tip of Fernandina Island. Punta Espinoza is famous for its large colonies of marine iguanas and as the habitat of unique species like the flightless cormorant, Galapagos penguin, Galapagos hawk and Galapagos snake, among others. It is an ideal place to observe the lava cactus (Brachycerus nesioticus), which grow on young lava and survive with little water. *Approximately 8 hours 30 min from Egas Point to Espinoza Point, Isabela: Caleta Tagus These points of land are located west of Darwin Volcano on Isabela Island. The visitor's trail is about 1800 meters. This was a favorite spot for pirates and whalers. At the start of the walk, going up and passing the staircase, there is a small cave where we find inscriptions dating to the 1800s, proof of early visits to the islands. *Approximately 30 min from Epinoza Pt. to Caleta Tagus

6 DAY 5 Elizabeth Bay Located on the most western northern tip of Isabela Island is a spectacular landscape view of Ecuador s volcano s caldera. The spot is a popular anchorage from which to take panga (dingy) rides along the cliff that are the remains of the volcano, or snorkel in a partially sunken cave which is rich in marine life and is a breathtaking experience. Masked and blue-footed boobies sit perched along the point and the sheer cliffs, while flightless cormorants inhabit the shoreline. *Approximately 3 hours from Caleta Tagus to Elizabeth Bay. Moreno Point Located on the north coast of Isabela Island between the volcano Sierra Negra and Cerro Azul volcano, the main attractions at Punta Moreno are coastal lagoons amid black lava flows where there are several species of birds. It has a panoramic view of three volcanoes, the most active of the Galapagos which are Sierra Negra, Cerro Azul of Isabela Island and La Cumbre of Fernandina Island. *Approximately 2 hours from Elizabeth bay to Moreno Pt.

7 Tintoreras - Wetlands The islet Las Tintoreras is located south of Puerto Villamil. It has a small bay of completely calm turquoise waters, where you can appreciate sea lions, sea turtles, marine iguanas, rays, etc. The bay is connected to a crevice of crystal clear water that is shallow and when the tide is low, the entrance closes. In this crevice you can see reef sharks swim along with other small fish and sea lions. *Approximately 7 hours from Moreno Pt. to Tintoreras. DAY 6 Tortoise Breeding Center The Tortoise Breeding Center of Isabela is located 1.5 km from Puerto Villamil. You can walk or drive there. In this Breeding Center, species from South Isabela (Sierra Negra Volcano, Cerro Azul): Cazuela, Cinco Cerros, Roca Union, San Pedro, Tables and Cerro Paloma have been reproduced in captivity. In total there are 330 tortoises between juvenile and adult. The Center has beautiful gardens consisting of native plants, such as manzanillo (Hippomane mancinella), mesquite (Prosopis juliflora), prickly pear (Opuntia spp), palo santo (Bursera graveolens),lime prickly-ash (Zanthoxylum Fagara), thorn shrub (Scutia pauciflora) Galapagos croton (Croton scouleri),and many other native flora. *Approximately 10 min by car from Tintoreras to Tortoise Breeding Centre.

8 Santa Cruz Island Also known as (Indefatigable) Island (Galápagos), Santa Cruz was given the name of the Holy Cross in Spanish, and its English name derives from the British vessel HMS Indefatigable. It has an area of 986 square kilometers (381 sq mi) and a maximum altitude of 864 meters (2834 ft). *Approximately 6 hours from Tortoise. Diving option: Santa Fe, Gordon Rocks DAY 7 Breeding Centre to Santa Cruz Turtle Bay Tortuga Bay, located on Santa Cruz Island, is also a favorite place for sea turtles (which gave the name to the beach), sea lions, marine iguanas, pelicans, flamingos and lava gulls which are endemic to the Islands and are commonly found along the shore of most beaches. It takes around an hour to walk to the beach. You'll be able to see beautiful birds including the famous Galapagos finches as you walk. The trail to the beach is paved and marked. There are two beaches at Tortuga Bay, the main beach is used for surfing due to its strong waves. If you want to swim and just relax you can head to the west side of the beach where the waters are more calm. The beaches are separated by a stand of red mangrove and exotic and endemic plants of the Galapagos Islands are also plentiful around the beaches. As you walk the trails on the island of Santa Cruz, make sure you visit the famous lava tunnels also called lava tubes. *Approximately15 min by car from Pto Ayora in Santa Cruz to Tortuga Bay

9 San Cristobal Interpretation Center Airport After breakfast, we depart for the port and airport for our flight back to the mainland. *Approximately 6 hours from Santa Cruz to San Cristobal. DAY 8

10 General Description of Motor Yacht Stella Maris M/Y STELLA MARIS was built by Italian Yacht builder Picchiotti and launch in The Yacht has a long career as a private / commercial charter vessel throughout the years, first as M/Y TALON and later on as M/Y ALTA. Stella Maris has undergone a major refit to become the first luxury yacht based in the Galapagos Islands available for private charters. Tecnical Specifications Builder: Picchiotti Year: 1987 / 2006 Refit: 2013/2014 Hull Type: Full Displacement Number of decks: 4 Dimensions: Length Overall: 38m/124 Beam : 7,77m/ 25 Draught max.: 2.65m/8 Gross Tonnage: 317 Materials: Hull : Steel Superstructure: Aluminum Decks: Cork / teak DECK PLANS

11 SERVICE ON BOARD INCLUDES All acommodations on board Excurcisions within the islands Private Naturalist Guide Transfer within the islands Soft Drinks: water, coffee, tea Snorkeling equipment Fuel ADITIONAL PRIVATE STAFF Selected private naruralist guide International chef 24/7 Charter concierge service 24/7 Private photographer Host NOT INCLUDED Flight tickets to Galápagos Galapagos National Park fee $100 p/p Galapagos Transit Card $10 p/p Food and Alcoholic Beverages Gratuity

12 The Blue-footed Booby (Sula nebouxii) is a marine bird in the family Sulidae, which includes ten species of long-winged seabirds. Manta birostris) is a species of ray in the family Mobulidae, and the largest type of ray in the world. They are circumglobal and are typically found in tropical and subtropical waters, but can also be found in temperate waters. Blue-Footed Booby Delphins The Delphin (dolphin) was a German midget submarine created during World War II. Designed in 1944, only three prototypes were created by the Kriegsmarine by the end of the war, all of which were destroyed. The Delphin was built for underwater speed attacks, as German engineers discovered that past midget submarines were too slow to match the speeds of large ships in the English Channel. Manta Ray Marine Tortoise Tortoises (Testudinidae) are a family of land-dwelling reptiles in the order Testudines. Like turtles, tortoises are shielded from predators by a shell. The top part of the shell is the carapace, the underside is the plastron, and the two are connected by the bridge. Brown Pelican The Brown Pelican (Pelecanus occidentalis) is a small pelican found in the Americas. It is one of the best known and most prominent birds found in the coastal areas of the southern and western United States. It is one of only 3 pelican species found in the Western Hemisphere. The Brown Pelican is one of the only two pelican species which feeds by diving into the water. Flamingos Flamingos are a type of wading bird in the genus Phoenicopterus (meaning "purple wing"), the only genus in the family Phoenicopteridae. There are four flamingo species in the Americas. FAUNA in GALAPAGOS

13 FAUNA in GALAPAGOS common crabs along the western coast of the Americas. It is also known as, "red rock crab", "abuete negro", and along with crabs such as Percnon gibbesi as, "Sally Lightfoot". Sea lions are sea mammals characterized by external ear flaps, long foreflippers, the ability to walk on all fours, and short, thick hair. Red Crab Lava Lizard Microlophus is a genus of Tropidurid lizards. There are twenty two recognized species in the genus, and nine of these are endemic to the Galápagos Islands where they are popularly known as lava lizards. The remaining, which often are called Pacific iguanas, are found in the Andes and along the Pacific coast of Chile, Peru, and Ecuador. Sea Lion Giant Tortoise Giant tortoises are characteristic reptiles of certain tropical islands. Often reaching enormous sizethey can weigh as much as 300 kg (660 lbs) and can grow to be 1.3 m (4 ft) long they live, or lived (some species are recently extinct), in the Seychelles, the Mascarenes and the Galapago. The marine iguana (Amblyrhynchus cristatus) is an iguana found only on the Galápagos Islands that has the ability, unique among modern lizards, to live and forage in the sea, making it a marine reptile. The iguana can dive over 9 m (30 ft) into the water. The Galapagos land iguana (Conolophus subcristatus) is a species of lizard in the family Iguanidae. It is one of three species of the genus Conolophus. It is endemic to the Galápagos Islands Marine iguana Land Iguana

14 GALAPAGOS ISLANDS